LFW SS17 DAY TWO

On Day Two, established names showed alongside hotly anticipated new talents Molly Goddard and Matty Bovan at Fashion East.

LFW got into full flow on Day Two where established names Jasper Conran, Julien Macdonald and Emilia Wickstead showed alongside hotly anticipated new talents Molly Goddard and Matty Bovan at Fashion East. The contrast between classicism and the club-inspired euphoria illustrated just how multi-dimensional British fashion really is. Finally, two of our biggest guns continued to demonstrate our international relevance: Gareth Pugh and JW Anderson also made waves. Here are my Day Two faves:

Printed with fabric acrylic paintings and sketches created by Knorr of herself. Paula Knorr, SS17.

PAULA KNORR‘Delicate materials were at the forefront of the collection: flared silk trousers and long-sleeved skintight tops were printed with fabric acrylic paintings and sketches created by Knorr of herself. Growing up in a family of illustrators, she explained that she wanted to go back to the origins of her creative interest and develop her collection using the basic techniques with which she began.’ www.theupcoming.co.uk

Inspired by an image of Lady Rhoda Birley posing in a flower bed. Peter Jensen, SS17.

PETER JENSEN‘Jensen’s latest collection is all about eccentricity – pivoting around the notorious image of Lady Rhoda Birley posing, apparently reluctantly, in a flower bed with some secateurs and a raised eyebrow. The collection includes classic A-Line dresses and sweaters in entertaining prints, but also examples of these outfits taken to absurdity: hugely oversized gingham pinafore dresses that engulf the wearer, translucent dresses made entirely of individual fabric flowers.’ ww.theupcoming.co.uk

An homage to the incredible creativity of club kids. Fashion East, SS17. Picture: firstview.

FASHION EAST‘[Matty Bovan’s] fierce models strutted down the runway looking like the coolest party animals out there. It was an homage to the incredible creativity of club kids, pulling together anything and everything to create a fabulous outfit. There were sequins, glitter, nets, tassels and charms dangling from every possible surface. There were girls who looked like mermaids just washed out of a party sea, iridescent shell embellishments still attached to their outfits. The garments were shredded, hanging off almost, there was plastic and reflective tape, hand-painted surfaces, earrings that looked like they’ve been made out of play-dough… anything you can imagine, really. It was a masterclass in customisation, making do with whatever you own and getting your friends to help out.’www.wonderlandmagazine.com

Denim like you’ve never seen it before. Faustine Steinmetz, SS17.

FAUSTINE STEINMETZ‘For this season, Faustine Steinmetz does denim – but like you’ve never seen it before, even by her own standards. The designer takes inspiration from everyone’s favourite material, and creates pieces that hint at denim jackets and jeans, but with abstract twists like hand-weaving and hand-dying.’www.wonderlandmagazine.com

HOUSE OF HOLLAND‘Ten years on, with a successful ready-to-wear business and an army of celebrity of followers on his side, the designer has gone back to where it all began. Accordingly, the finale of his spring/summer show was a homage to the slogan t-shirt. Updated for 2016, with phrases such as ‘I’m yours for a tenner Kendall Jenner ‘ and ‘Let’s Get Obscene Cara Delevingne’, Holland’s new t-shirts look set to win favour with a new generation of fashion fans.’ www.standard.co.uk

‘Presenting “relics of aggressive masculinity” in a softer and more feminine way.’ JW Anderson, SS17.

JW ANDERSON‘If [Anderson]’s a little stretched, it doesn’t show. His SS17 collection was a wellspring of ideas inspired by — erm, that unlikely totem of femininity Henry VIII, replete with leg-o-mutton sleeves, burlap day dresses and quilted corsetry that recalled the Tudor monarch. While the archetypal alpha male might not be an obvious choice of muse for a womenswear designer, Anderson had been excited by the challenge of presenting “relics of aggressive masculinity” in a softer and more feminine way.’www.ft.com

‘A fresh, breezy romanticism.’ Emilia Wickstead, SS17.

EMILIA WICKSTEAD‘There was a welcome lightness of touch to Wickstead’s collection. Pretty, delicate floral cottons were used throughout, adding a fresh, breezy romanticism to ankle-skimming dresses, full skirts paired with crop tops, and cute Bermuda shorts. And her silhouettes, which can be overwhelming in volume sometimes, were mostly lighter: sleeves were gently fluted, proportions leaner and more flattering.’www.vogue.co.uk

‘Rave-all-night outfits’: Molly Goddard, SS17.

MOLLY GODDARD‘The clothes drew initially on Goddard’s love of smocking, with a succession of sweet pink and grey gingham, and neon tulle dresses that will delight her current DSM-hunting customer.She experimented with ruching and gathering to more sensual effect, with the kind of laissez-faire approach to underwear that will appeal to fans such as Rihanna (who totally owned a Goddard creation in New York earlier this summer). Then there were the rave-all-night outfits: giant green and black crinoline skirts worn with T-shirts featuring Nick Waplington’s photographs of New York’s underground club scene. They made you want to party. Tequila!’www.vogue.co.uk

‘One of the most avant-garde designers on the London circuit.’ Gareth Pugh, SS17.

GARETH PUGH‘With a solid reputation as one of the most avant-garde designers on the London circuit, Gareth Pugh gave us a sculptural feast of shapes for SS17. Models stomped to aggressive drumbeats in chunky platform boots, and the palette ranged from powerful black embellished in gold bullion to a regal purple.’ www.wonderlandmagazine.co.uk

About the AuthorBel

Bel Jacobs is a freelance fashion and arts journalist with her own successful blog beljacobs.com. Between 1999 and 2013, she was Style Editor for Metro during which time she helped build the paper’s fashion content, interviewing key figures such as Karl Lagerfeld, Rita Ora, Christian Louboutin, Vivienne Westwood, Philip Treacy, Isabella Blow and Valentino Garavani. In July 2013, at the inaugural Fashion Monitor journalism awards, she was nominated as Fashion Journalist of the Year (Short Lead), for which she was ‘highly commended’. She has been a judge for Fashion Fringe (2011) and the UK Fashion and Textile Awards (2015). She has also hosted panel discussions for Soho Create and Decoded Fashion and written for the British Fashion Council. She is a regular panellist at Nick Knight’s seminal new media site ShowStudio.